The 12 Noon Crew

About a year ago, a regular member of the pick-up basketball game that I play died after a long battle with cancer. Carlos E. Figueroa’s body was chipped-away by cancer (and the doctors), but before he left us Carlos wrote his sentiments in the form of a poem. The poem moved me and many of the other regulars because it reflects the spirit of the game, so I had a plaque engraved with the words; that plaque is mounted on a wall overlooking our court.

no matter how good, bad, slow or fast you are, there will always be a space for you to join the 12 noon crew, even if you have cancer.

if there was a place, a game, or thing that made my day, that would be the 12 noon crew.

if there was a thing that inspired me to go on, not to quit, and keep on fighting that would be the 12 noon crew.

if I were to rewrite my life, I would definitely have the 12 noon crew as part of my new life.